Exercise for Cancer Patients

By David Haas

Exercise has been long believed to be a great health benefit aside from just improving cardiovascular strength and controlling weight. It has also been shown to improve a person's overall mood and help fight a wide range of other diseases including depression, allergies and IBS. Of course exercise does not actually cure diseases, but research has determined that the way the body reacts to exercise can help combat illness.

Recently, some studies have shown a link between adults getting regular exercise (i.e., thirty to sixty minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise each day) can significantly reduce one's chances of developing certain types of cancer including colon and breast cancer. Exercise can also be quite beneficial for people who have already developed cancer or pre-cancerous tumors.  Health care professionals believe there are certain reasons for this phenomenon. For example, exercise releases a large amount of positive endorphins in the body that can help increase one's positive mood and reduce any pain that was being felt. Additionally, being physically fit gives the body more strength to fight off disease.

It is important to understand that though the national guidelines recommend a fairly ambitious plan of exercising close to an hour every day, even a small amount of light exercise can make a difference in a person's life and help fight off disease. This is especially important for people who already feel very sick or have trouble breathing or moving, like when receiving mesothelioma treatment.  Simply walking around for a few minutes everyday can help a person build physical strength and also improve a person's mood and outlook on life. Modern medicine is finally beginning to embrace the idea that a person's mental state has a great impact on their physical state. Since exercise releases certain endorphins that create a natural "high", the brain will help to body react more positively to traditional treatments like chemotherapy and radiation. Exercise has also been shown to help reduce the negative side effects that are often associated with these treatments.

For any person with higher risk factors for cancer or an existing cancerous tumor, they should talk to their doctors about how they should work exercise into their normal routine. Of course, during cancer treatment is not the ideal time to begin a rigorous exercise routine or intense training program. This is why it is important to work closely with a doctor to understand one's physical limits and create a routine that meets their needs without introducing additional harm to their body. For a person that does not currently have cancer, this information can serve as another reminder of the overall benefits of maintaining a healthy lifestyle and continuing to participate in some type of physical activity on a daily basis.
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For more great articles by David Haas, visit his blog at:
http://www.mesothelioma.com/blog/authors/david/

Susie's Trampoline Workout!

The following demonstrates an excellent cardio workout you can do on the trampoline. Note: The videography is unprofessional, so bear with that.

Superman exercise for lower back: BodySpex fitness w/ Jai

Anti-Aging Effects of Exercise

Misconception: Older adults are weak and their level of energy inevitably declines.

Research shows that regular exercise provides the same benefit for elderly people as it does for younger individuals. If you are over 55 years old, simply implementing regular exercise can prevent and, in most cases, reverse almost half of the physical deterioration normally associated with getting older. So, why is it that less than 10 percent of people who have retired exercise more than 3 times per week?

The area of fitness that you should focus on the most is strength training. When you are younger, the majority of your workout schedule should consist of aerobic exercise. As you get older, the ratio of aerobic exercise to strength training sessions should flip-flop. Training with weights will improve your level of strength, balance, and flexibility. This results in reducing your risk of falls and fractures.

This is unbelievable: If you strength train regularly for one full year, you can take 15 to 20 years off your physical condition!! Aging is often perceived as the enemy. Reality - It is physical inactivity that is the true enemy. By not keeping yourself active, even at age 30, you will notice your muscles getting smaller and weaker.

FACT: By not regularly including strength exercise in your workout regimen, you will lose up to one-half pound of muscle every year of life after age 25. This can not only effect your physical capabilities later in life, but will also cause you to gain weight. Muscle is a very active tissue with high-energy requirements. At rest, your muscles are responsible for over 25% of your calorie expenditure. Thus, increasing the amount of muscle tissue in your body results in a corresponding increase in the number of calories your body will burn, even at rest.

Do you have a hard time making yourself go to the gym to get in your workout? Why not get involved with a senior activity that requires you to be social while incorporating your physical activity? The National Senior Games Association provides opportunities for adults over the age of 50 to participate in athletic competition.

***Before beginning activity, please schedule a visit with your primary physician. Talk with him or her about the activity.

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Written by: Laura S. Garrett, RD -- Registered Dietitian & ACE Certified Personal Trainer
-- Keep Laura's advice at your fingertips, wherever you and your cell phone go with
"Text ur R.D."
-- Learn more at: http://www.NutrActive.com